The Political Junkie offers an outside-looking- in view of the US. Each day, we will highlight news and opinion pieces from around the world that are focused on US politics and policy. Agree or disagree with the opinions you will read but take a few minutes to see yourselves as others see you.

Pages

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Germany: Obama and Sandy

Handling Hurricane Sandy Obama's Moment of Truth

Even before the storm hit America's East Coast, President Barack
Obama wanted to show that he's ready, that he can lead the country
through this crisis. It was exactly eight days before the presidential
election on Nov. 6.

"This is going to be a big and powerful storm," Obama said on Monday.
He said he had spoken with the governors of all the affected states and
that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had been put on
alert. Food and water provisions were at the ready, he assured, adding
that in times of crisis, America sticks together. The country was ready
to handle this storm, he said.

This is the president as crisis manager. Obama is doing what
Americans expect from a president when a massive storm like Sandy comes
along: He is demonstratively setting politics aside and acting as the
top catastrophe prevention official. When a reporter then asked him,
"What about the impact on the election, sir?", the president answered
soberly, unselfishly and energetically. "The election will take care of
itself next week," he said. "Right now, our number-one priority is to
make sure that we are saving lives … ."

His handling of the storm could determine the outcome of the
election. "The hurricane will pose a huge test for Obama in the next few
days, one that will make the debate in Denver
look like child's play," writes Julian Zelizer, professor of history
and public affairs at Princeton University, for US broadcaster CNN.
Obama lost to Republican candidate Mitt Romney in Denver, giving his
rival an unexpected boost in the campaign.